Improvement in machines for stoning fruit



5 sheets-amen] B. A. LILLIE.

MACHINE FOR STON'ING FRUIT.

Patented March.7.,1876.

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MACHINE FOR STQNING FRUIT. No,174,371. Patented. March 7,1876.

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MACHINE FOR STONING FRUIT. I No. 174,371 I Patented March 7, 1876.

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B. A. LILLIE; MACHINE FOR STORING FRUIT.

P-atente d -March 7,- 1876 .YhrenZar.

' M di 1 75 I N- PETERS. PflOTO-UTNOGRAPHER WASHINGTON. D C.

IMPROVEMENT n PATENT OFFIGE.

BENJAMIN A. n OF PORTLAND, OREGON,

MACHINES FOR STONING FRUIT,-

Specitication forming part of Letters Patent N o. 1 74,371, dated March '7, 1876; application filed r September 9, 1875.

To all/whom it may concern 5 .Be it known that 'I, BENJ. A. LrLLIE,-.of Portland; in the county of Multnomah, in the State of Oregon, have invented a Machine for Pittingor Stoning Fruit, of which the following is a specification? 1 The nature or object 'of my invention is to Q stone? or pit fruit; and to accomplish this through plane X Y, an enlargement ofthis portion of side elevation showing the scrapers K and L engaging with a pit in a piece of fruit;

also, the manner'in which the scrapers K separate the fruit from the pit with the assistance of the cutters I, the cutters I being separated more than when in actual use; Fig; 6, an end elevation of the scrapers K and L, looking from the plane X Y, a beingthe upper portion, and b the under part; Fig. 7, a plan of Fig. 6, looking from a. In all the figures the plane X Y is supposed to pass through the axes of the shafts U'of the cutters 'I and extension-gears J. Fig. 8, an enlarged side elevation opposite Fig. 5, showing the lever G, cam H, check-bar B, prongs T, extension-gears J, and cutters I operating on centers Q during the passage of a pit between the cutters I, the arrows indicating the motion, and A the fruit-hopper closed by the check'bar B. Fig. 9 shows the position of I in theact of embracing a stone in a piece of fruit, in which the cutters I are shown, the single one working in the space between the two opposite ones, it being supposed that they are placed on the shafts U with proper washers between, and collars to secure, them.

Fig. 10 is a showing of I similar to that above described of I.

The number of concaves seen in the outer edges of the cutters I and I, as well as the depth given them, may vary to suit the variety of fruit to be stoned, the size of pit, stone, &c., also more than three cutters, I or I, be ing sometimes used..

which acts continually against the lever G and cam H. At the proper time for one of the pieces of fruit to fall into the machine the cam H raises thecheck-bar B, and allows it "to descend between the four saw-shaped cutters I and the two segment-shaped springs E.

These springs are adjusted tors-mall and large fruit by the set-screws F, being opened for large fruit and closedjfor small fruit. The hopper A and the parts B O D E F G are held in place by fouruprights placed in the exterior corners of the machine. When the fruit has fallen between the cutters I andthe springs E it is immediately seized by the teeth on I, and drawn in between them, and as the cutters are almost together at their innermost approach to each other, the seed or pit is seized by them as they are turned by the crank S and the extension-gear J, and in its downward course it meets the scrapers K and L, K being so constructed as to open sidewise, as it is seen in Fig. l; but these scrapers K are put on and against the outsides of the four cutters I, one on each outside. These cut the fruit open from the bottom, and scrape the seed as the saws bring it down and through them. To make sure that the seed shall not slip up or out of the machine in the rear direction, the prongs T close in behind, and press on the upper side of the pit, and so force it through the scrapers K and L. As the seed comes be-- tween the four cutters I, they become separated, according to the manner in which the seed mayhave entered between them, and the journals supporting the shaft of the cutters I are set on theuppe'r end ofa hinged piece, P, one on each side, and behind each of these pieces P a spring, R, is placed, which presses the cutters I together, and allows them to separate when occasion requires.

In ordinary cases the scrapers K are found sufficient; but it sometimes happens that in seeding cling-stone fruit it requires a little more scraping than the shape of K allows.

So underneath them a chisel-shaped piece or cutter, L, is placed, one on each side, (one is seen in the section, Fig. 2,),and pressed against the seed on pit by a spiral spring, M, which is;

The cutters or sawsI are placed in .thevfollowing manner on the mandrel, and. are usually four in number, though I have sometimes only used two. When four are used they are placed different distances apart, according to the size or thickness of pits to be worked, two

on each shaft, and held almost together bythesprings R operating against supports P, hinged at Q. These cutters are made to move in the proper direction by means of the extensiongears J, which are held in place by links extending from their centers. Between one of the pairsof cutters 1 (it may be either one) the triangular piece, on the ends of which are the prongs T, (seen in Fig. 1,) is placed, and adjusted as before described.

It is sometimes necessary to have different cutters from those shown in the machine, Figs. 1 or 2, and those shown by the letters I or I are used, and when a'twin pair of these are used the prongs T may be dispensed with.

In Fig. 1 the left-hand half of the scrapers 1 K L, &c.', is removed to show the under side of the right-hand half in Fig. 2.

stone fruits, as cherriesfapricots, nectarines,

peaches, prunes, or plums, 860., at will, by making the necessary adjustments, and its operation in actual use has been highly satisfactory.

1 claim- 1. In a machine for stoning fruit, the cutters I 1 I", the extension-gears J, hinged supports P, springs R, and shafts U; also, the spring scraping-knives K, the additional scrapers L, the operating-springs M, and the adjusting-screws O.

2.- The lever Gr, cam H, check-bar-B, spring 0, and feed-prongs T, the supporting-springs E, and theadjusting-screws F,'or their equivalents, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the. cutters I I I, the extension-gears J, hinged supports P, springs R, shafts U, spring scraping-knives K, additional scrapers L, the operating-sprin gs M, adjusting-screws O, lever'G, cam H, checkbar B, spring 0, feed-prongs T, supporting springsE, and the adjusting-screws'F, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

BENJAMIN A. LILLIE.

Witnesses:

HOWARD N. NORTHRUP,

OHAs. B. TALBOT.

I This machine maybe used on any of the v. 

